Christchurch (Arthur's Pass) 8 Feb - Monday

See NOTE at end of this entry.

Today is New Zealand National Day, like our Bank Holiday. It celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (Māori: Tiriti o Waitangi) on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand. It resulted in the declaration of British sovereignty over New Zealand by Lieutenant Governor William Hobson in May 1840.

Traditional Maori Waitangi Day celebrations at Waitangi, Bay of Islands 

Today started with a warm morning in Hokitika, around 20°C. I went down to the black volcanic sand on the beach. Last week there had been a "Driftwood and Sand" competition, where people used driftwood and Sand to make sculptures on the beach, some of the sculptures were still intact. The sculpture below won the Public Choice category.

Then we started our 249km journey to Christchurch. Going first through Arthur's Pass National Park

We are still in the rainforest on the West coast of the South Island, heading to the mountains of the Southern Alps.

Getting closer to the mountains. We will leave the greenery of the rainforest behind and the temperature starts to increase, 22°C.

Before reaching Arthur's Pass, we called in for our morning coffee and cake at the "Otira Hote". The place is still in the early part of the last century.

There is still a stage coach outside the front door.

Inside, the bar has not changed since 1953.

Outside they were prepared for a quick get away, should there be any trouble.

Below is an poster in the gents. Looks like good advice to me.

As we approached the top of Arthur's Pass at 739m (2,425ft) the temperature had gone up to 24°C, we had entered the avalanche area. As there is no snow around at this time of the year, it is quite safe, but you can see where they have had slides.

There are even avalanche shelters on the road. The one on the right actually has water running over it.

As we started to drop down from Arthur's Pass, we can still see snow capped mountains beyond the rainforest.

It had been a long time since our previous stop, so we were all relieved when we found this place at a picnic area.

We started to leave the mountains and the bush behind. Or is it the brush.

Passed Lake Lyndon, which had a few jet skiis running around and quite a few families having picnics.

We stopped for lunch at "Springfield" unfortunately Homer Simpson and his family were not at home (or is that a different Springfield). Either way, we found another pie shop for our lunch (I won't mention Wigan and pies again, well I may do). 

Starting to get cooler at 19°C, as we enter the Canterbury Plato, on our way to Christchurch.

NOTE. As I will be going to Nelson on Wednesday 10 Feb, to join the rest of the Heaphy trail walkers. I will be unable to run this blog until my return on Tuesday 16 Feb. Good news though, in my absence the girls have agreed to continue to run this blog. No doubt in their style.